


Mystery of the worlds

by Lucrenzia



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-03
Updated: 2014-03-18
Packaged: 2017-12-22 08:17:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/910958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucrenzia/pseuds/Lucrenzia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Murder! Romance! Mystery! and more. Two worlds are thrown together without memory or explanation of the occurrence. Old friends are strangers, and allies are torn apart. In this world everything is new, but can this new world separate friends or will both worlds be destroyed in the process.</p><p>(I am in need of beta readers! Because I don't feel comfortable publishing more chapters unless I have one)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Sadly, I do not own home stuck nor any of the characters affiliated with the comic. 
> 
> I hope to be updating this semi-frequently. I only have one beta reader and it takes a little while to go through all that I am writing. I will try and update once a month. Please read and review. :) Suggestions are always welcome.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I put the mature rating for future chapters. Again, homestuck is not mine and is credited to its respective creator.

PROLOGUE

Years ago, but not that many, two different universes intertwined in a game orchestrated by demons of power who desired nothing but total destruction of all of existence. They almost achieved their goal, reducing everything to post-apocalyptic conditions. However the destined chosen heroes, a mere group of children young trolls, were successful in becoming god-like beings, beating the game, and saving their respective worlds. But, as a result, something happened that could not have been foreseen. Earth and Alternia, the planets of both races, became fused into Altearthia. The games from which all their discord began, Sburb and Sgrub, were never introduced and the player’s minds were wiped of everything they had experienced with each other. Everything was reset back to its original starting point before any adventure the kids or trolls ever had. The chosen had no memory of their losses and no understanding of the victories they had achieved with one another. Everything was forgotten and the trolls and kids lived their lives as they would have done without the game that had led both their worlds into oblivion. The races of both planets knew not of what had befallen them. The two races, due to prejudice and a unexplainable hatred, refused to intermingle and willingly separated from each other. Humanity remained on the surface living in large bright cities, while the trolls claimed the vastness of the underground living in subterranean hives. Strife rarely occurred between the two races, whether due to the fact of how powerful the human race had become or because the troll race had no interest in human lands, no one could say. The trolls hated the burning light of the sun and in the same manner the humans abhorred the darkness of the underground. Even though there was peace between the two races, there was no love. On the surface, the trolls were vilified, considered a mysterious and savage race in which humans avoided all association. What the trolls thought of the humans, no one knew. As for the legendary heroes, fate brought them together and fate tore them apart. Their reward for success resulted in peace of both races, yet deprived them of their god-like powers and memory of their former associations. However, what is life but the threads of fate spun upon a revolving spindle... .


	2. The Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own homestuck or anything associated with homestuck.
> 
> Thank-you for reading and please send me a comment or two to let me know how you like the story so far.
> 
> I am working on the text formatting. Sorry if the fonts are different

 

Thunder rolled in the distance as drops of rain began to descend from the heavens upon the darkened populated city of Skaia. A gloomy murkiness coated the city, it was the kind of night where a biting wet chill sapped away any and all warmth, where babies tucked safely into their cribs cried for no reason, where dogs endlessly barked at invisible strangers and shadows that lurked on the walls, the kind of night when unspeakable affairs happened in the cover of darkness. A black unmarked car pulled up to a sanctioned off police block. A lone officer stood watching over the police line, pacing the small entrance to the alleyway. Swiftly, the door opened and young blond man in his mid-twenties stepped out, tugging on his red trench-coat in efforts to shield himself from the wind . When he looked up at the sky, the rain drops beaded on his sun-glasses. While sunglasses at night would seem odd on any other human being, on this man it was an extension of his identity, worn as routinely as a police officer would a uniform on a work day. The man approached a fidgeting policeman, standing on watch next to the freshly stretched crime scene tape. The officer was busy staring up at the sky, his back turned to the approaching stranger. The newly arrived unknown tapped the officer lightly on the shoulder. Just then, thunder ripped across the sky causing the officer to jump, either frightened by the violent sounds or the unexpected disturbance. The flash of the man’s gold badge, barely illuminated by the struggling rusty street lamps, seemed to calm the officer who curtly nodded, stood aside, and lifted up the police tape. 

“Down the alley, you can't miss it, Detective,” stammered the officer. His eyes following the man in the red trench coat until he was out of sight.

The detective promptly strode down the alley uninhibited by the darkness and the now pouring rain. He came upon a tent at the far end of the alley that had been hastily erected to cover the body. Outside the tent under its canopy, stood a stout, heavy-set and middle aged police officer who nervously smoked a cigarette and looked at his watch. Upon sighting the detective he flicked his cigarette away, straightened his body, and lifted his plastic covered hat in greeting.  

“Detective Dave Strider. I should have known they were going to send you. Been hearing some interesting things about you.” The officer shot him a grand smile and extended a hand. “Good things.” He added seeing Dave raise an eyebrow.

Dave shook his hand and a cold grin slowly spread across his face, “Officer Ace Dick, good to see you again. Heard some interesting things about you myself. Talk of the amazing ‘truffle shuffle’ you performed on bar tables during the last holiday party still circulates around the office.”

Ace chuckled and smirked, “It’s a shame you couldn’t be there to see it yourself. Too bad the Spades Murder demanded all your time. Heard you pulled four all nighters in a row to crack that case and eventually caught the guy with his pants down. Even though it was suspicion that there was more than one killer.” Ace cooley regarded the detective and added, “The Chief’s always favored you. He seems to always gift you with the most interesting cases,” he said with a smile that didn't extend past his lips.

“It doesn’t matter what you may have heard. I might have solved some big cases and may have impressed just the right people, or perchance lady luck just has a thing for me.” Dave stated as he came to stand beside the officer. Neither of them looking at each other.

Ace shrugged, “I wouldn’t exactly call it luck. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, you always were ahead of everyone in academy. Personally, I would have gotten it done in half the time with just one evening of rigorous ‘interrogation’.” He boasted, cracking his knuckles loudly.

Dave resisted rolling his eyes. “Academy is long behind us, and we have more pressing matters at hand. Just show me the stiff, it’s late and I want to get this over and done with.”

Ace's smile vanished and was replaced with a smirk. "The crime unit has this case pretty much wrapped up in a nice little bow. I don’t know why they sent you in, but, given the circumstances of this death, I guess it makes sense. There are some peculiar parts in this affair, some of which need might need your perusal. The victim is a, well, let’s say it would be wiser to show you the scene and then we can discuss the gritty details.” Ace moved into the tent, motioning for Dave to follow as he held the flap open for him.

A strange feeling washed over Dave as he entered the tent. He tried to shake it off as he moved closer to the scene. There were three people crammed into the already small tent, huddled around the body and speaking in hushed tones. They seemed spooked, Dave had never seen a forensics team seem so shaken around a dead body. Most of the team had departed, probably to take the evidence they had recovered back to be studied. There was something off about how the forensics team worked, something that he couldn't explain. He felt the same way and he couldn't describe the feeling of unease that hung in the air. The tension was thick enough to cut with a dull knife. Ace approached one of the forensics officers who was taking notes and they exchanged words. The man then motioned for his team to leave the tent, allowing Dave a full perimeter to investigate. 

Dave inhaled and took a long look at the body. The body lay face down, sprawled out like a rag doll with legs twisted at odd angles. The pants and black shirt the thing wore were nearly ripped to shreds, and everything around the body soaked in a puddle of ugly brown liquid. Dave flinched,  two giant bull-like horns, colored a gradient from red to yellow like candy corn, protruded from its short black hair. Horns? Fucking horns? Dave grabbed a pair of latex gloves from one of his pockets and tugged them on. He lifted the pant legs to reveal prosthetics, made of some carbon-metal composite. That explained the odd contortion. Kneeling near the head, he grasped one of the horns and pulled it just to make sure he knew what he was dealing with. He lifted the head to get a good look at the thing’s face where the horns met the skull. The horns were indeed real without a doubt, this thing was a troll. Dave studied the creature’s ashen face before carefully placing the head back down on the pavement. The face was contorted in pain and smeared more of the sticky brown substance. What is this, shit? Taking a moment to compose himself after brief wave of nausea, Dave proceeded with his investigation. With a closer look saw that the brown liquid was seeping from the head wound and the various cuts and scrapes along the troll’s face and body.  No, they bleed brown... 

He stood and walked around the body trying to see if there was anything else that seemed odd surrounding the victim. Dave then took his place, hovering over the victim studying every aspect of its body in composition to the pavement and objects around it. He took out a small notebook and scribbled some notes.

At that moment, another rumble of thunder was heard and the rain increased in intensity. The dull tapping gave way to a louder rhythm on the tent. Through the cracks of the erected tent, rain-water dripped and diluted the blood that surrounded the body. Yet, there seemed to be no end of blood seeping from the beast’s massive head wound. Clearly, the cause of death was trauma to the head and body from a long fall resulting in a harsh impact with the asphalt. Darker shades of gray covered its face and arms. Stepping back, Dave returned,speechless, to Ace’s side.

After a moment of silence Dave finally found his words“Great. So, what’s a fucking troll doing up here? What do we know besides the fact we have a fucking dead troll on our hands?”  He asked warily, finally removing his gaze from the body. 

“Still think lady luck who has the hots for you?” Ace joked, giving Dave a smug smile. “I guess you could call it a one way relationship.”

“Just answer my question.” Dave snapped, feeling his temper rising.

“We don’t know why it was up here. Might have been a squatter, probably hiding from something either up here or down there. The victim was discovered by a late night drunk.  He was placated and assured that he was far too intoxicated to have seen what he’d seen. He now thinks that it was a costume party gone wrong. As for what we do know, as you can see, the troll suffered from trauma to the head as well as multiple abrasions along the arms, torso and face.” Ace had kneeled near the body and began to point out certain wounds. “The troll died instantly due to impact after falling out of its eleventh story apartment, at least, that is what the coroner wrote in her preliminary report. Scraps and the large wound to his head from hitting a fire escape. Even his prosthetic legs are all bent out of shape. Rather nasty. Clean-up crew is having a field day. We were requested that we get the stiff to the morgue as soon as possible for further investigation.”

“Any identification on him?” Dave quarried.

 

Ace shook his head. “Troll had nothing on him. Even if he did I wouldn’t know what it looked like. They never come up topside they are not supposed to come up, and yet here he is. You ought head up to the apartment now.  The small team working on the site looking for clues have reported no signs of any struggle.  Seems like the poor fool musta been in a big hurry to die, I’ve never seen glass spread out so far.”

“What do you mean, glass?”

Ace Dick sighed, “Shattered glass from the window the troll jumped out of.”

“So you think it committed suicide by ramming through the glass window?” 

Ace shrugged, “Troll-style suicide?”

Dave gave him a hard look as he walked out from under the protection of the canopy.  He then looked up at the gaping window above.  He called back, “I’m done here. Show me the apartment.”  It’s going to be a long night. 

Ace escorted Dave to the eleventh story of the apartment complex. On the elevator ride up, Ace filled Dave in on what they thought transpired in the apartment. “The apartment’s pretty clean. In terms of living conditions, it’s hard to believe that this apartment even belonged to the victim.  As I was saying before, we think it might have been a squatter that somehow managed to get a key.  The door was locked from the inside, the key was found inside the apartment on a table.  No sign of a struggle, nothing’s turned over, nothing’s broken. No signs of forced entry prior to our own entry. The furnishing itself is pretty sparse, like the kind you’d find in a pre-furnished apartment. At first glance the place seemed immaculate, but when you take a closer look most of it’s covered in dust. There’s no electricity, no bed, no clothes in the closet, no food in the pantry, no kitchen cutlery, and no television or any other sort of electronics. The people who own the apartment are out of town and have been for the last five months, according to the office manager. We have their contact information, their current address and work number. They should be easy to get a hold of during office hours if you need them.” Ace handed Dave a sheet of paper with the written information. “We’ve found some prints and will be sending them to the lab for analysis.” Ace let Dave into the apartment lit by several portable battery operated lamps. “Told you this case was all wrapped up. I guess the boss needed ya to sort out the smaller details. I’d say it pretty much looks like suicide. There might be some nitty gritty details, but those are for you to write up nice and neat,” Ace huffed.

“Yet, this is the peculiar part,” Dave walked straight towards the gaping window and leaned in to inspect the frame further.  “Trolls are supposedly rumored to be batshit insane, but why not jump off the balcony?  What would possess anyone to commit suicide by running through the glass like a freight train on amphetamine? And even be able to break through glass no less.”

“Didn’t you see the size of its horns?”

Dave turned away and glanced at the scene before him. The apartment, like Ace described, was showroom clean. The furnishings seemed only to be out of necessity rather than enjoyment. Dave never would have believed something took place here if it wasn’t the shattered window.  He continued to walk around the small room, yet his attention continued to be drawn to the window and the floor length curtains blowing softly in the breeze. 

“Another thing. We don’t know what the troll was doing in this apartment when it clearly looks like it had fuckall reason to be here.” 

Ace squirmed, “Fucker’s dead on the street. At the moment, I could give a rat’s ass about dead trolls. Why does the force even get involved and waste time and resources trying to figure out shit.  No offense to you, sir, but, that was the reason you were called in.” Ace's face tightened to a mocking grin. “I’m just glad I won’t have to be the one to figure out why. “

Ace took a seat on the couch and lazily glanced at Dave still staring at the window. “We’ll sort out the details, it’ll just take time. By ‘we’ I mean you. Want to take some solid advice?  Just admit that it’s suicide and save yourself the headache.”

“It may be my job, but you are also expected to do yours. Until this case is solved I want you to at my beck and call. If I say jump you say how high.” Dave stated.

Ace, surprised by Dave’s brassiness nodded in compliance.

Glancing over the scene one more time Dave took a minute to take everything, tuning Ace’s words out.  Something didn’t feel right. Perhaps he’d find out more after questioning the landlord, but meanwhile Ace’s words had a ring of truth. Trolls were rare occurrence above ground,  reaching near fictional status. Seeing one for first time, and a dead one at that, disturbed him more than he wanted to realize. It would easy to just say it was suicide. He mulled the words over and over again in his head. Believing he had seen all he needed to for the night Dave decided it was time to clear his head. Before Ace could get up from his seat Dave was in the elevator and down to his car as fast as he could manage. He drove off into the night trying hard not to think what the heck had the chief gotten him into and whether he really wanted to be a part of it.


	3. Date with Destiny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own homestuck or anything associated with homestuck.
> 
> Please read and review like always!

Dave opened his eyes to the sight of his ceiling fan slowly turning and the sunlight peeking through the slates of the blinds above his window. His mouth tasted like sand, his body ached, and overall he felt like shit, a result of one too many whiskeys last night. Usually, he’d drink a glass to take the edge off after joining a new case, but one hadn’t seemed enough. Even so, in the quiet time between consciousness and dreaming, this particular investigation found a way to invade his mind, releasing a cacophony of thoughts disrupting even his greatest efforts to shut out the noise. The images of the brown blood haunted his mind, and he kept seeing the twisted form of the Troll when he closed his eyes. Ever since visiting the crime scene, he contemplated why the chief had called him in on this bullshit case. His hand fumbled around his bedside desk, groping for his sunglasses. He lazily put them on and stumbled out of bed. He stripped off the rumpled clothes from the day before, and let them fall into a pile on the floor.  He hoped a shower at least would help him take his mind off the case, even if just for a little while.

Fifteen minutes later he’d donned a fresh suit. Straightening his cufflinks, he quickly checked his phone messages. Five messages, all from the chief.  Great way to start my day. Dave let out a slight groan and headed out the door without bothering to check even one.

Work was a three story police precinct in downtown in Skaia City. It was one of the best offices in the precinct and he knew many officers wished they had his job. Dave had grown used to a busy life. In the early days of his career, he had enjoyed some kind of work/life separation, he had time for friends and a love life. Now, as a seasoned professional, those boundaries had long since dissolved. Work followed him everywhere, whether he liked it or not, like a lost puppy, unyieldingly begging for his attention. He waved a polite hello to the receptionist and hurried to through the large double doors towards the center of the station. Horribly late, due to several unforeseen circumstances, he tried to be as abstruse as possible as he hastened to his desk snagging a cup of coffee on the way.

    “Strider, my office, now” a strict deep voice came from behind him. Apparently, his tardiness was not going to be overlooked this time.

Dave slightly flinched and turned to stern face of the Police Chief. _Lady luck, do you even fucking exist_?  He quickly dropped his briefcase at his desk, reluctantly put his coffee mug down, and hightailed it to the chief’s office ignoring the curious stares from other officers. “I can explain about the lateness." he began. "You see, I was-”

The chief held up his hand to stop the hasty excuse Dave was about to make. “Please, take a seat.” The chief motioned for Dave to shut the door and sit down. “Forget about that for now.  What have you found out about the ... victim?” The chief spit out the last word with distaste. He rose from his desk and moved to close his window blinds. “This case is probably the most important case that this precinct has ever dealt with. We need conclusive evidence that it was suicide as Ace Dick states or,” he hesitated, “murder. I need to know, and I need to know yesterday.”

    “Sir, after visiting the crime scene, it looks like suicide off the eleventh floor.  There is no hard evidence to suggest otherwise.” He continued explaining his observations in line with what Ace had observed. “The coroner is with the body now.  I was just about to head to her office to retrieve her official report. So, all in all nothing is raising any alarms, other than the fact that there’s a fucking troll above ground.” He drummed his fingers on the chief’s desk. “Why is that chief?”

The chief sent Dave a cool glare as he returned to his chair and leaned back regarding the detective before him. “The city does not officially recognize or allow any troll to leave their designated area. For certain diplomatic occasions trolls are allowed above ground. They are monitored and given a human escort for the entire duration of their visit. On even rarer occasions, trolls are permitted to live above ground on special conditions. Typically, the public has no clue that trolls might be walking among them. This death is something that could possibly cause tension and maybe even hostilities between human government and troll matriarchy." He added, "This is something that we cannot afford."

    “I see your point, sir.  However, despite all the weird shit, I still believe this to be suicide. A troll squatting in an empty apartment above ground, can’t take the heat, finds it easier to play superman off his new eleventh story bachelor pad.”

The chief sent him a look. “Look, the issue of this dead troll is more serious than you realize. Somehow, whatever system they use for government down there got wind that a troll died in our lands. How they found out before I did is an even better question. They contacted my office directly.  If we do not comply with their demands they threatened to make this a public dispute.

Dave responded quickly, “I understand, sir.”,

    “I don’t think you do,” the chief responded flatly. “Due to the severity and political nature of this case you just got yourself a new partner.  Your partner arrives tomorrow, you will pick them up and you will work on this case with them. Here is the address and time they will arrive.”

    Dave glared down at the piece of paper the chief had just slid to him. “Sir, with all due respect, a partner will just slow me down. Especially one that doesn't know this town like I do. What do you expect him to do? Hang around me looking confused all the time? If this case is as important as you say I do not have time to show a new cop the ropes."

    “Look, my hands are tied in this matter. I want to keep this murder as well as this investigation top secret. Like I said, because of the nature of the crime your new partner will be an undercover troll sent by their high council. This will not be discussed or negotiated.” The Chief paused his voice lowered. "We do not want this getting out. The reason you were assigned is because you’re the best for the job, you’re discreet, and you live a solitary life. The fewer who know about this the better. If word leaks out, then in addition to being up to our arse’s in Feds, we’ll be dealing with the consequences of mass panic from the public. Many people have never seen or heard of a troll in their life.  Get to the bottom of what it was doing above ground, and whether or not it was killed by a human or something else ASAP”

Dave’s eye twitched and his stomach knotted, but kept his face blank. “Sir, permission to speak frankly.  If I’m so great for the job, do I really need to babysit a stick-in-their ass hornhead from the underground, who’s just going to waste my time trying to tell me what to do?”

The Chief did not look surprised at Dave’s reluctance. “Just be polite, try to work with the troll investigator and finish this case as quickly as possible. Before you know it you will be back on regular cases and the troll will be back where he belongs, underground."

Sighing, Dave pinched his nose, rubbing the area where his glasses rested. “Yes sir.”

The chief smiled, “Now, that is what I want to hear from my detectives. Remember, you will be picking up your new partner at three am, tomorrow morning.  Don’t be late.”

Dave felt like a load of bricks just hit him as he walked out of the chief’s office and eased into his seat in front of a large stack of messy paperwork on his desk. This is just what I need, a shit-ton of dumbasses busting my balls over something that’ll amount to a suicide. Dave didn’t want to think about how long this case would take if it was a murder.

Dave tried to finish all the paperwork he had overdue from his previous cases, but his mind kept wandering to his current case. He had no clue where to begin, but he knew that he wanted off this case as quickly as possible.

Hours of paperwork later, Dave was standing before the coroners office. She was conveniently located in the basement of the police station. He knocked on the door to her office and slowly opened it. Looking around he didn’t see the woman he was looking for. He approached the welcome counter and began drumming his hands on the table top tempted to use the little bell that would announce his presence. Dave waited for a minute and then let himself into the backroom. He spotted the blond haired girl who was busying herself with some papers. Dave loudly cleared his throat. “So nice to see that I am expected.”

Rose gave a slight jump at the sound of Dave’s voice. “Dave, I was expecting you but, as usual, you can never arrive in a timely fashion.” Sending Dave a smug smile , she proceeded to hand him the folders she had been sorting earlier.

    "Nice to see you too, sis," Dave smirked taking the folders without looking at them.

Rose kept her smile,“Let’s get to business. I believe you came here for was how the Alternian met his untimely demise, correct?”

“Alternian?”

“The Alternian, you know.. the troll” She paused. Waiting for Dave to catch on. “ Honestly Dave, I had expected that you would have already looked through my preliminary report.”

Dave flipped through the papers. “Ya, I read it already.” He shut the folder with a snap. “Details on death anatomy is fine and all for a macabre-loving girl like you, but I just need some kind of lead.  I need some idea of how to continue my investigation,” he told her.

She breezed by him and motioned for him to follow. Dave followed the blonde down a hall and into a large room. Pulling on her gloves she uncovered the troll’s body which lay on its back on an examining table. “First of all, I want to establish that I am not a confident expert about the anatomy of Alternians, but I do have access to a source who provided reliable histories and certain medical practices.”

“Oh this is new. A who and not a what? Do elaborate. Do I have to play big brother and interrogate this new someone in your life?”

She ignored him and continued, “As you read in my report, this Alternian died of blunt force trauma which correlates with how he was found and what you suspect is the cause of death.” Rose walked around the table and pointed to specific bruises that were located near the skull and shoulders.  “But then I noticed something very peculiar about the face.  Contorted and frozen in a look of abnormal looking horror.  Also, quite a bit of saline, which I imagine is troll sweat, on the surface of the skin.  All of his muscles knotted from tension.  So then, I took a chance and scanned the brain and found some unusual hemorrhaging.  From the autopsy the brain tissue was torn, which I have never seen before and cannot reason the cause. He must have undergone some kind of extreme mental trauma prior to his death."

Dave blankly stared at Rose, “So…?”

Rose’s eyebrows shot up at Dave’s response, “While it does look like suicide to a human, it could be something more,” she murmured as she gazed down at the body before her. Drawing her gaze back to Dave furrowing his eyebrows, she quarried, “I could do more research, but it will take time. I will get back to you when I can. However, I cannot guarantee a specific date.” Pulling of her gloves, she escorted Dave back to her office. “I need to close now and I have some cleaning up to do as well as a decent amount of paperwork. You can take that report for your files is there anything else that you might need?”

    “No, just your report.” Dave turned to leave and opened the door to the outside.

    “Now, just a minute, Dave. Our business dealings may be done, but now I must discuss personal matters with you.”

Dave tensed, he had nearly made it out. He paused at the doorway, waiting for her to go on.

“As you may already know John has been most eager for all of us to get together. While I have already accepted his invitation he claims that you remain quite evasive.”

    “I know, look I am busy, alright? I have a lot of shit on my plate and I don’t always have time to bless every gathering John has like I’m the Pope of Prospit.”

Rose smiled slightly. “Dave, it would be good for you to see John again.  Despite what happened…I know that we have discussed the matter, but you have not deliberated the issue with John which I believe you need to do to achieve internal peace.  My university education included psychology, you know.”

Dave groaned. “I know.”

    “Don’t let the past become a chilly wind between you two.  Just make sure you are at the Green Cube,” she called out after him.

    “Fine… later Rose.” Exiting the building he checked his watch and noticed that there was a lot of time to kill before picking up his new partner.  Even thinking of the word “partner” made him shudder. Getting into his car, he headed towards the closest bar.

*     *    *

Dave slouched into the wooden bench at the train station. He rested his head over the back and let his feet sprawl before him. Lifting his watch to eye level, he checked the time. For once he was way too early. Sighing, he then resumed studying the lines of the ceiling, glancing every now and then to the electronic sign that reported on departing and incoming trains. The one he was waiting for was on time, or at least that is what the sign claimed.

The station was deserted at this time of night. He had seen the typical vagrant resting outside the station, and the occasional late night rider but not the large crowds and noises he was so used too. He let his eyes close softly and contemplated today’s events, but soon the sound of the trains lulled him to sleep.

**He felt heat on his face. Magma surrounded him along with weird crocodile monsters. Large buildings rose up around him. The crocodilian monsters clawed at each other and did not notice Dave sitting near the edge of the lava. They danced around a large pot of boiling water but paid him no heed.  As their jaws snapped down his head pounded to a rhythmic tune. The pounding in Dave's head became worse.  Then, suddenly, they all turned to him and collectively released a incomprehensible string of chatter.**

With a jolt Dave inhaled deeply and jerked away wincing in pain when his neck let out a large crack. He felt stiff all over and his mouth was dry.

 _What the hell was that_? He thought as he slowly repositioned himself on the waiting bench. He brushed his trench coat sleeve up to check the time. Twenty minutes past three,.

great. Probably missed the fucking troll.

Explaining how he had to hunt down a troll loose in this fucking city would be beyond a headache. He remembered Ace’s words, and then pressed his hand to his forehead and let out a groan.

An eruption of unnerving giggles punctuated the still air.  

“Oh! Thank Lusus you awoke. I was contemplating whether you were sleeping or if some vile villain had murdered you. In fact, I was just debating how I should deal with whoever did such a dastardly deed to my new comrade,” a voice chimed in from his side right side.

Dave turned his head quickly releasing another loud pop was produced from his neck. He then came face to face with the grinning, looming presence of a monster with red eyes and sharp teeth sitting calmly before him. She giggled again at his reaction, her ash gray skin stretched to reveal more of her sharp teeth underneath her black lips. He quickly regained his composure, letting his eyes adjust to living troll sitting right next to him.  

Geez, they’re freakier when they’re alive and grinning at you.

First of all, it was female, at least it looked female, and this did not help defend the belief that all women were man-eaters. A pair of horns, the same candy corn coloration as the victim’s except much smaller, conical and sharper adorned the top of her head.  Her jet black hair was short and neat.  She wore a light teal jacket with large bright red buttons with a matching pencil line skirt that hugged her rather curvy hips. A red walking cane with a dragon head rested by her side.  Everything about her was sharp and angular, yet her gaze was unnerving most of all, and he could only blankly stare into the lenses of her pointy red glasses.

“Thankfully they said you would wear that red coat or I might never have found you.” She began without hesitation. “You humans all look alike.  I am Terezi Pyrope, Lead Legislacerator and I can only assume that you are Dave Strider..."she offered her hand, "Unless there are two people in this place with a coat that smells like delicious red apples.” The troll offered a toothy smile, flashing more of her very pointed teeth, as Dave stared at her not about to offer a hand to someone who looked like they would devour it. She leaned her head a bit closer to where he was sitting. “Does it speak?” He saw her black eyebrows rise above her glasses.  

“Just contemplating how I should have worded my will.” He began after a moment. “I feel like I’m staring Jaws himself in the face.  You have more sharp angles then a gothic chandelier.  Undercover troll, my ass!  Seriously, we need some kid-proofing here or little Johnny’s going to poke his eye out.  I can’t afford to get sued. Seriously, I don’t even have insurance to cover the ambulance trip to the ER.”

The troll leaned back, surprised from the tirade she had just received. “Wow, definitely not a mute, but I do not understand what you are saying. I did not think my jaw was that big and why would a child poke his eyes out? Is that normal when meeting new acquaintances? I will take that what you said about my “angles” as a compliment, however.” Her continuous giggling made his hair stand on end. “Such a fine welcome for your new partner!” She placed a hand on her hip and smiled at him.  Keeping her unwavering gaze planted on Dave, she lifted his sunglasses lightly with her cane. "Why do you cover your eyes in the darkness?  Seems rather foolish... but also rather stylish.  So mysterious and intriguing."

Dave felt his cool slipping again as he was uncomfortably aware of how close she’d leaned in, "Is it a Alternian custom to be so invasive of personal space?”

“What is that?” she grinned inching ever closer.

“You know, getting all up in my grill like it’s fourth of July and you’re a hungry family of seven waiting for burgers. Dad just nervously continues to flip, doesn’t know when they’re going to mutiny.”

“Hehehehe. You continue to say the strangest things.  I was not prepared for your strange human dialect." She relaxed back into her seat turning her gaze away from him. "But I know I am going to enjoy working with you in more ways than one...”

He quickly changed the topic, “Let’s get you to wherever you are staying while you are here."

“As much as I’d love for you to take me home with you, I want to visit the corpse,” Pyrope stated matter of factly.

“Now?” he asked, ignoring the first part of her sentence.

“I’ll get more done at night, when I am not so conspicuous around humans. I can settle in during the day. I want to visit the body.  You may think this visit was for pleasure, but rest assured Mr. Strider I will assist you every step of the way.”

Holding his tongue, Dave decided to go along with the troll without much complaint, reasoning that the sooner the troll looked around and collected information to give to her superiors, the sooner he would be rid of this case.  He shrugged and stood up.

“Ok fine. Just this night, then we’ll have to work out some kind of schedule later.  I’m a night owl, but a lot of people in services aren't. You’re lucky I happened to have a key to the morgue.”

The troll let out another laugh. “Why, I didn’t know my new partner was so interested in the deceased. You have the most interesting hobbies.”

Dave made to respond, but instead  handed her the report he had received earlier, which she grasped with her long slender fingers.

“I’ll debrief you on the case on the way.  Also, you’re going to have to wear this while you’re up here.” He took off his scarf and tossed it to the troll. “Tomorrow, we’ll work on getting you some make-up or something and maybe a couple hats.  Not saying you’re ugly or anything, but let’s just make life for the workers of ER easier by giving them less patients who have fucking heart attacks from seeing a grinning troll compare them to food products.”

Terezi fumbled with the scarf and quickly brought it to her face giving it a deep sniff. Her exhale was full of content.

 _What a goddamn creep_. Dave began to sweat.

She rubbed her face in it before settling it around her neck like he had around himself previously. “Such a beautiful gift, it feels so soft and warm around my neck, and it matches your coat!” she exclaimed happily.

“No,no,  it’s for your horns.”

“Like this?” She missed the point entirely as she wrapped the scarf around her head between her horns.  He grabbed the scarf and demonstrated with gestures that it was meant to go around her head like a headscarf doing several of his best vapid lady impressions in the meantime.  She just laughed and laughed at him before he took the initiative and wrapped it adequately around her head to conceal her horns.  

He just shook his head as she tried to mess with his handiwork. He decided it was about time to head out and headed to his car.  Behind him he heard the tap tap tap of a cane. Turning, Dave saw that the Legislacerator following him with ease. She paused right behind him. “Lead the way, Red Delicious,” she said, her piercing gaze slightly off centered.

“Just call me Strider,” he said, exasperated.  Then, with sudden awareness, he realized what it was that made her look so startling.

“It’s not polite to stare at a blind girl.” She sniffed

“I wasn’t staring,” he said, continuing to stare.

“For the record, I’m not completely blind, and I won’t be a liability.”

“Okay, I wasn’t asking.” he said still staring.

“I have found ways to experience the sensory bouquet.“

“Okay,  I don’t really understand what that means, but okay.”

“I’ll explain it to you when you’re older, Mr. Strider,” she chuckled.

“Whatever.” He paused for a moment as he debated whether or not he should open the car door for her. “Where is your luggage?”

Without waiting for assistance, Pyrope fumbled with the door handle, showing her first frown of the night. Dave walked over to her side, but she succeeded after a moment and her toothy grin re-appeared. Triumphantly, she took her place in the passenger seat of Dave’s car. “Naturally, the travel-baggage was sent to the place I will be staying while I am in this land.” She stated as she fidgeted in her seat.  Dave thought back to the victim’s lack of luggage. He was rudely brought to reality when she began playing with the buttons on the door, opening and closing every compartment in his car.  

“Will you knock that off, I just finished off the payments. I don’t want my sweet ride becoming a junk heap of broken parts,” Dave shut her door and sauntered over to the drivers side of the car.  Geez it’s like talking to a child.  By the time he had put on his seatbelt, his partner had settled down. She pressed her face against the glass window when he started the car.  On the way to the morgue, he told her everything he had learned or observed about the dead troll. Terezi Pyrope remained surprisingly silent, listening to him throughout the entire car ride


	4. An Unwelcome Parnter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am really no good with summaries. Sorry about that.

Roughly around four in the morning they arrived at the city morgue. Dave suppressed a yawn as he led Pyrope down the empty hall to where the bodies were kept. The moonlight cast an eerie glow through the frosted windows and there echoing footsteps further impacted the mood. Dave found the tapping of the Legislator’s cane hypnotically comforting in a strange way. He paused only long enough to open the door for her and then silently entered behind her. Rose had been kind enough to leave a note to Dave in the files listing the location of the body for any future inspection.

Pyrope leaned her walking cane against the examination table and reached into her bag pulling out some latex gloves which she hastily put on. Dave watched her carefully as she began her examination of the body. He had never seen someone place their head so close to a stiff. She began to run her long spindly fingers across nearly every inch of the bruises on the body, pausing in certain places that she found interesting. She flinched when her hands brushed over his face and horns and a look of sadness passed over her face, a look that nearly went by unnoticed by Dave. 

I wonder how if they even mourn their own.

His mind drifted as he leaned against the wall and watched her gross display of examination. 

Just when I thought working with normal partners was terrible enough, I get stuck spending a night in Corpseville with the devil herself looking like she’s sniffing up a fat turkey during a Thanksgiving feast .  He suddenly felt a little sick and tried to think of nicer things.

“You claimed there was no identification…” she began.  “It’s right here.”  She turned the victim’s head and pointed to a part of his neck right below the ear.  There was a tattoo of the taurus zodiac symbol.

“Yah, it’s a tattoo. One thing our people have in common.”

“No, it’s his identification.”  She pulled out a portable machine that looked like a scanner.  She pressed a button when she held it over the tattoo, it emitted a beep.

“Geez, do all of you have tattoo identifications like barcodes on cereal boxes.”

“Yes,” she said as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

He noticed her neck was bare of tattoos. His curiosity was piqued, “Where’s yours?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know…?”  She flashed him a devious look.

Dave felt uncomfortable for having asked such a question. “Well, what’s his price-tag?”

The troll paused, reading the line of text the little scanner was flashing across the screen.“His name is Tavros Nitram, a brown blood. He would be no one of consequence below. I have also seen work like this before.”She gestured to his fake limbs. “There are few trolls who possess such craftsmanship I could possibly get into contact with the one who made him his prosthetics. If I can reach this troll we may go and question them about possible associations later.” She turned back to her work, making small comments about the gashes and the discolor of his skin.

She paused once and  frowned, frustrated over something that he could not understand. The moment of confusion passed, and she  returned to her work with no further comment to him.

Dave waited impatiently for the Legislacerator to finish. His patience waning he chipped in. “Look, all the reports indicate suicide. There was no struggle in the room. No evidence of another person living in the apartment. There were no marks or bruises which indicates that he must have jumped of his own accord.  All I need you to do is agree with me and you can even catch the last train back to.... wherever you came from.”

Pyrope stopped her inspection and tilted her head in thought. “It is true, he did jump on his own accord but, it wasn’t a suicide.” She got closer to the troll’s head and stuck out her tongue and gave it a quick lick.

Dave cringed on the inside.  This was getting more disturbing by the minute .

She pulled her head up, “No, this was something more. He was not himself when he fell and it was the fault of another.”

“You got all that by licking a dead body, did you? He saw her eyebrows rise above her red glasses at his question.

“Of course! He carries the stench of murder,” She stated in a matter of fact voice. She held her head high. 

Dave just stared blankly at her. “Wow, okay wonderful evidence we have there.  The corpse stinks, that’s what corpses do with they’re rotting. “ Dave stifled a yawn. “Alright, I am going to step outside let me know when you are done.”

He left the body to the troll and checked his phone messages outside the room.  Rose had texted him:

TT: I hope you found the body upon arrival. Please make sure that you put it back in cold storage. If you do not, I guarantee I will be less cooperative when you come crawling back  to me for help.

TT: John also wishes that you wear something nice. Apparently, the Green Cube is a higher end club and he doesn't want to get kicked out or asked to leave due to inappropriate dress.

I do not have time to deal with this shit.  Dave thought to himself leaning against a wall and shutting his eyes. So much had happened and he now had the gravest feeling that this case was far from done.  I just need rest my eyes for a second.  

Dave felt someone was looming over him. Opening his eyes he saw Pyrope standing before him. His body twitched and inwardly he cursed himself for dropping his guard around her.  

“Sleeping time for the night owl human?" Terezi giggle as she nudged her cane into his side.

“I wasn’t sleeping, just resting my eyes and thinking about the case.  Take a chill pill and stop poking me with that cane.  I don’t know where it’s been or how many dead bodies and orifices you’ve pried that into.”  Dave pushed Pyrope’s cane away.

She cocked her head to the side returning her cane to her side. “If you are going to rest your eyes again then how will I grab your attention?”

“A simple ‘Hey’ would do, you know like a normal person.”

“Hey?”

“Sup?  See works like that.  Keep working on that.  Pass lesson one and then we can go on to lesson two, how to not scare small animals and little children within a 5 foot radius.”

“Okay okay. Such a smart-ass,” She giggled. “So, I was checking the body...”

“And?" Dave interrupted not wanting to hear an in-depth explanation. " I hope you have come to a decisive conclusions?” Dave questioned.

Pyrope gave him another toothy grin. “I am convinced that it was murder.”

Gritting his teeth Dave sighed heavily.  “Murder. You base that on smell of a corpse? Wouldn’t it be simpler to just say it was a suicide and then we can both can go back to performing our normal jobs. On our own turf?”

“No.  Honestly, Mr. Strider, it is obvious to me that you yourself have doubts about what you are saying right now.”  

Dave stared at her for a moment, knowing deep down he’d be crooked detective if he protested her words. “Just when I thought I was going to have my life again.  More things to lose sleep over,” He muttered under his breath. 

“Speaking of sleep Mr. Strider. I do believe it is about time for your sun to be showing itself, so if you could drop me off at my accommodation.”  
  
“God, it’s morning already.” He said with a little drag in his voice. “What a lousy evening.”  He followed Rose’s instructions and returned the body back into storage.  Pyrope creepily watched him the entire time.  

 

They headed to his car.  He opened the door for her and she entered, sat down without incident. He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. “Where are you staying?”  


“Oh, yes.” She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a piece of paper with large red font on it giving it a lick.  “I will be staying at Wayward Vagabond Hotel. Do you not know where this place is? I was assured that it is a decent human habitat."  Dave refocused on the road once she brought the paper to her face.

Dave looked exasperated. “I know exactly where it is, let’s just say it’s not out of my way." 

Pyrope wrinkled her nose. She leaned close to him and sniffed his neck.

Dave’s hair bristled and his body tensed up “What the fuck, cut that shit out!” He hissed through gritted teeth. 

Pyrope sat back in her seat a smirk still playing on her lips. Dave decided to keep his eyes on the road and ignore the weird troll girl who sat beside him.

He drove as quickly as he could to run-down hotel in the shady part of Dersetown. He felt maybe a little sorry that she had to stay at such a crappy hotel.  The streets were still empty and there was light traffic.  Light rain resumed, falling steadily. 

Pyrope turned her attention to the window, once again pressing her face to the passengers side window like an excited puppy.  "It smells so fresh. I have read about rain I never thought it would smell so delicious.” She paused and averted her gaze from the window, concentrate on the dials and knobs in the door of Dave’s car.  She rolled down the window causing rain from outside to spray her head scarf and the rest of the passenger side of the car.  After that, Dave pulled up her window from the controls on his door and locked it.  They passed through downtown out of the nice neighborhoods and into a more rough side of town. Pyrope wrinkled her nose. “This area smells different than where we just were. It smells musty and dark and reminds me of home,"   


As the light of dawn started to creep slowly over the city, he sharply pulled into the hotel's run down car park. 

"Here we are, Wayward Vagabond Hotel." Dave thought it was one of the worse places one could stay, but he wasn't going to mention anything

Without waiting for Dave, Pyrope quickly tried to get out of his car. Dave watched,amused, as she fumbled with his front door. She finally opened the door and hastily made her way into the inn, successfully operating the swinging door. Sighing, he slowly left his car and followed the troll inside.

 

He found her standing in the middle of the lobby, gaping at the ceiling. 

“The manager’s desk is this way,” Dave said as he approached her and caught her lightly by the elbow. Pyrope flinched at his touch, but then continued in the direction where Dave pulled her. She did not speak until he had guided her to the place where she could get her key. As soon as they arrived at the counter Dave let go of Pyrope's elbow and returned his hand to his pocket. He then noticed that one of her horns was showing.  "Holy shit, adjust your headwrap!" 

Pyrope frowned as she fumbled with arranging the scarf on her head. “There! Do I look like the human girls in your world?” She did a rather good job of imitating his vapid girl imitation, falsetto and everything.

“Not even in the slightest,” he said with a deadpan face.  

He approached the front desk searching for someone who worked there, almost like he was about to pass her off to someone else as their problem. He stopped in front of the main desk and rang the small bell that rested on his desk.

“The manager should be here shortly. Since you were given this address I assume he knows you are coming.” With that, he turned on his heel and headed for the door.  

He was about halfway to the door before he heard hysterical screaming coming from behind him. He whirled around to see the man behind the counter armed with a baseball bat while his partner (god, he hated that word) madly cackled.  Dave rushed back quickly, flashing the man his police badge in efforts to calm the crazed man down. He pushed Pyrope behind his back.  Some words and more than enough money was exchanged before he ushered her out the door by the elbow. 

"I don't even want to know what you did to cause that guy to go after you with a bat," he spat as he slammed the car door shut. 

All Pyrope could do was offer a shrug and a meek smile. "It was quickly decided, Mr. Strider that his facilities were not suitable for my habitation."

At this hour, Dave didn't care what had transpired but, he did care about where he was going to leave the Alternian for the day.  Battling time as the sky slowly lightenedl, they were only disappointed to see that all other hotels in the immediate vicinity either mysteriously had no vacancy or had shut down long ago.  Dave was becoming more irritated at each no vacancy sign.  He pondered what they were thinking, sending the most ill-equipped and unprepared troll in the universe to the surface.  Even a little make-up or human acting school would have helped in a big way. He cast Pyrope a sidelong glance.  Ok, maybe a lot of make-up and acting school. How in the world was he going to solve this case let alone even walk around town with this psychopath as his partner.  His wallet wasn’t big enough to silence every person who flipped out.  Tired and defeated, he had no choice but to drive them both to Derseflats, his very own apartment complex.

He kept his head down as he shuffled his new partner into the apartment complex. There was no one around and Dave breathed a sigh of relief when he finally got her to the elevator

The elevator, of course, was not working as usual, so Dave carried Terezi Pyrope’s surprisingly heavy luggage up all six flights of stairs. His partner followed easily behind him with a smaller bag clutched tightly to her chest.  He reluctantly unlocked the front door, steeling himself for the very unwelcomed invasion of his personal space, hoping that perhaps she’d maybe at least have some courtesy in the residence of others.  She stopped short right outside his door, pointing and mouthing off some nonsense about his apartment number containing the “numeral of the prophets”.  He impatiently but politely pushed her into the room, noticing that her head wrap had slipped exposing her horns to anyone who happened to be in the hallway.  Luckily, his neighbors were late risers on a saturday morning. Turning back to the room after locking the door, Dave was stunned upon the sight of a very alien looking girl quickly rummaging through his living room touching everything in sight.  Dave recovered from the shock, and by the time he reached her, he had to peel away the expensive camera she’d picked up from her hands.  As soon as he set one thing down, she picked up another thing, a chain reaction that resulted in them toppling the stack of empty apple juice cartons and shattering of gathered whiskey bottles off the table nearby.  

“Just hold up.  I wasn’t expecting to accommodate the ambassador of Snooptown.  Geez, are you always like this?” 

“Your place feels like it’s been ransacked and smells like a disaster.”  

“Let me rephrase that: do you wanna sleep in the street?”

“A cardboard box would have been more hospitable.”

“Well, if you hadn’t freaked out the manger… Just sit here on the couch. Give me a minute.  And for the love of all things sacred, don’t touch anything.”

Dave quickly picked up the clutter in his living room, and either shoved it in his hall closet closet, already overpacked with various things he’d collected over the years, or threw it in his room.  A small stuffed orange man, one of the smuppets his brother had given to him, fell out and landed by Pyrope’s feet.  She picked up the curious plushie to examine it, giving it a good squeeze.

“Give me that.”

“What is it?” 

“It’s none of your business is what it is.”

“Boorrring.” she quickly tossed the puppet at Dave causing him to fumble with it for a moment. 

Putting the puppet back in its place. He went into his bedroom found some blankets and a spare pillow in the walking closet and dumped them unceremoniously by her side.  “Bathroom’s over there, grab whatever you want from the kitchen if you’re hungry, ask me if you need anything, and stop getting into my stuff.” 

Dave entered his bedroom, nearly collapsed face first on his bed.  He wished that this was all some nightmare. The situation had continued to get worse: first the weird case, then being assigned to a partner, then finding out it was weird troll girl partner, and now having to share living quarters with her.  Exhausted, frustrated, and worst of all being pushed to breaking his cool more than he’d ever imagined, he stared at the pillow in a daze. The pillow offered no advice. Maybe the shower would be a better talker.  He peeked into the living room and saw the troll was bent over her suitcase.  He decided that a shower might not be such a great idea.  Last thing he wanted was to be found dead, naked, partly devoured in a compromised position due to a mysterious troll attack.  But then, goddammit, this was his place he would not be a prisoner in his own room.  
  
Making sure he locked his bathroom door, he threw his shirt in the hamper and hung up the rest of his clothes. Placing his sunglasses at the edge of the bathroom counter he jumped in the shower, trying to scrub off this entire night. Once done, he stepped out and had pulled on this pajama bottoms when he heard a loud crash from the living room.

He tentatively pushed open the door of his living room.  The entire place was dark yet he felt like he was being watched.  He could not see her, but wanted to assume that she was asleep and that crash was just her settling in with her "things".  He turned back around and shut the door to his room. relaxing his tense shoulders he turned towards his bed.

Pyrope’s toothy grin greeted him inches from his face. "HOLY SHIT!  What the hell are doing??” Dave felt he must have jumped several feet in the air.

“You smell very nice.” She took a step toward him her head cocked to the side.

Dave was just about to retort when he brought his hand to his face. He then realized a very important accessory was missing from his face.  He reached for another pair at the top of the nearby dresser.  

“Oh, you remembered your dark glasses,” she voiced with disappointment. “One day Strider, I will know your secrets!”  

“What’s your deal?”  Dave glared at her, but his icy stare did nothing to phase the blind troll. “What are you doing here?”  
“Well there was this murder..” Pyrope started as she gracefully sat on his bed.

“In this room! Why are YOU in MY room” he said through gritted teeth. 

“I thought that would be obvious to a detective, wouldn’t you have thought, roomie.”  Terezi pulled the scarf that was wrapped around her head. “I came to give you your scarf back, even though it smells delicious.” She reluctantly handed him the scarf, and turned her head as if surveying his bedroom. “Although, there are many tantalizing scents here as well.”   


“Damn it. No. That’s it, I’m done. Just get out of here.” Dave was too tired to argue anymore. This had been too long of a night and his brain had just shut down. “I need to sleep. We will deal with this in the...” he paused glaring at a nearby clock, “later.” He pushed her out of his bedroom and shut the door, making sure to locked it tight and put a chair in the handle for extra precaution. He could still see her grin burned into the backs of his eyelids as he attempted to go to sleep


End file.
